Great advice for Realtors: when you are buying a home for yourself, do not take the commission. Here's why.........

You are much better off negotiating with the seller to lower the purchase price of the property. Since the seller doesn't have to pay you a commission, that person should be willing to lower the price by the amount of that commission. The seller nets the same proceeds from the sale either way.

And here's the fun part:

You will pay lower property taxes (since the taxes will be based on a lower home value)

You will pay less in mortgage interest (assumes you are putting down a set percentage...so a lower price = a lower loan amount = less interest)

You will pay less in income taxes (no commissions to pay taxes on...saves you federal, state, and self-employment taxes)

A simple change in how you structure this home purchase can save you thousands upon thousands of dollars.